Doll clothes pattern hack -1837 Everyday Shirt Part 2

I thought it would be fun to simplify the 2 piece sleeve that comes with 1837. It's not much of a pattern hack.

I have used 2 little pleats at the wrist to fit the wrist edge of the sleeve onto the cuff.

I just put mine either side of centre. If you put them both at the back then you have to concentrate on making a left and right sleeve which makes it just as hard as the original 2 piece sleeve.

I also tried doing a bit of gather across the wrist edge but I don't think it looked nearly as good as the little pleats.

When you make up the shirt the sleeves are a fraction long but you need a bit of extra length so the doll can raise her arms.

Simple sleeve seam placket

Make the two piece sleeve into one piece by overlapping the seam line on the two pieces and pinning them together. I had to use my pen to stop the fan blowing it away. 

Preparing the sleeve seam allowance 

• Pink the seam allowances for each sleeve.
• Press in along the seam line halfway up the sleeve.
• Mark the centre of the wrist with a pin.

Pin on the cuff

• Mark the centre of the cuff with a pin.
• Press up one long side of the cuff and lay it right side down on the wrong side of the sleeve
• Pin it in the centre.
• Keep the seam allowances of the sleeve folded in.

Fit the sleeve to the cuff

• Pin the ends to the cuff so it extends 1/4" past the sleeve.
• Make tiny pleats at the wrist edge of the sleeve to make it fit the cuff and pin the pleats.

Stitch the cuff

• Press the seam towards the cuff

• Fold in the ends of the cuff.

• Fold the cuff in half and pin the turned under edge so it just covers the stitching line on the right side.

• To make life a bit easier I decided to stitch from the centre of the cuff to each end. The folds create several layers of fabric on the ends and my machine tends to get stuck.

Centre to one end.

• Turn it around and sew the other way to the other end.

Side seam

• With right sides together, match the back and front sides. 
• Measure up 2" from the wrist edge, including the cuff, and mark it by pinning the sides together here. Keep pinning, matching the underarm seams and the hem edges.

• Stitch the seam, remembering to stop 2" from the wrist.
• Pink the seam allowance up the shirt sides.

• Turn right side out and press the seams flat.
• Lap the front of the cuff over the back of the cuff. Use Velcro patches or snaps to secure it.

I love this shirt even more with the back yoke. I think the little hook loop gives it a "real shirt" look.

I finished the hem with the shirt tails. You get a template and instructions to make these in the pattern file.

I'm always happy to try new things with the patterns. Is there something in particular that would make a good pattern for the shirt hit reply in the newsletter or try me at valspierssews at gmail dot com.

Happy Doll Dressmaking,

Val

Dolls clothes pattern hack - 1837 Everyday Shirt part 1

 

Hack A

The first hack for the Everyday Shirt is a back yoke, a pleat in the back, a hook loop and making the 2 piece sleeve a 1 piece sleeve.

You need a shirt pattern to start with.

Create the back yoke and lower back

You can follow my video tutorial on how to create the yoke and lower back from the 1837 shirt back pattern piece 

If time and/or skill make this difficult for you to do yourself there is a Hack Pack for the shirt. You will also get a pattern piece for the hook loop.

It's called 1837 add-on Hack Pack 1. 

You can find it in my shop

It is an add-on because you need a shirt pattern to start with. The hack pack pieces are only the hacked pieces. They don't make up a whole shirt. You need some pieces from the original shirt pattern. 

It doesn't have to be my 1837 pattern. You can use another brand pattern along as it has a business collar with a collar and stand style. You do get 3 new designs you can try.

When I cut out my shirt I used an old shirt of mine that I didn't want anymore.

I cut two back yokes on the bias grain.

I also cut the two cuffs on the bias grain.

To construct the back

Back Pleat

• Fold the lower back in half, right sides together, and pin it together along the fold.
• Stitch 3/4" from the fold using a basting stitch from the top to the hem edge.
• With the wrong side up arrange the pleat so it forms a box pleat and press.
• Baste across the top edge to hold the pleat in place.

Hook Loop

• To make the hook loop you will need 1 rectangle 4" x 1 1/4".
• Fold the hook loop strip in half and press. Open it out then fold the raw edges to the centre fold and press. Fold it in half again to enclose the raw edges.
• Stitch along the open edge to secure it.
• Fold the ends up to make a loop and centre it on the lower back.
• Baste it in place.

Back Yoke

• Lay one back yoke in place and stitch.

• Lay the other yoke right side down on the wrong side of the lower back and stitch through all layers.

• Press up the yokes to enclose the seam.

• Tops stitch across the yoke.

My green shirt has a single yoke. That's why I pinked the seam allowance before pressing up the yoke.

My blue check shirt has two back yokes.

This encloses the seam and gives a neat finish on the inside.

You continue from here with the shirt instructions. 

When you come to doing the hem don't forget to unpick the back pleat first. I nearly forgot on my blue check shirt and had to unpick it on the fly while I was doing the overlocking.

The next blog post will describe how I made the sleeves with the placket in the side seam of the sleeve.

You can read about it here.

Don't forget to sign up for your Basic A-line Skirt and the patterns hacks that go with it. Click the image below.

   

Happy Doll Dressmaking,

Val